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Dating, Relationships, and Feminine Energy with Felicie
Sat, 09 Mar 2019 14:22:53 +0000 en-US
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1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.1.1Finding True Love After the End of a Toxic Relationshiphttps://womensblog.net/finding-true-love-after-the-end-of-a-toxic-relationship/
https://womensblog.net/finding-true-love-after-the-end-of-a-toxic-relationship/#respondSat, 09 Mar 2019 14:22:38 +0000https://womensblog.net/?p=63Most people don’t recognize how significantly emotional abuse impacts them when they’re in a toxic relationship. Everything is addicting in toxic relationships. There’s always hope that things will change. But it’s comforting when things stay the same. Staying in a toxic relationship takes a lot of effort. Even if you break up, you often get...

]]>Most people don’t recognize how significantly emotional abuse impacts them when they’re in a toxic relationship. Everything is addicting in toxic relationships. There’s always hope that things will change. But it’s comforting when things stay the same.

Staying in a toxic relationship takes a lot of effort. Even if you break up, you often get back together because you miss the rush that comes from the intense emotions involved.

But then you finally manage to stay broken up. Then you meet a genuinely good guy, and you realize the profoundly negative effects the toxic relationship had on you. It may even cause you to push good people away. You’re used to being treated badly, so you expect the worst and almost reject the new guy.

After a toxic relationship ends, you feel like you can’t trust anybody. You sought the wrong qualities for so long, and you accepted lots of people who did not deserve you.

You assume that everybody has ulterior motives and that they don’t ever say what they really mean. You caught your ex in lies so often that you’ve become paranoid about everybody. You can’t believe that people are capable of being honest. You make irrational assumptions, and you doubt genuinely good people because of the toxic relationship.

You may eventually find yourself explaining to the new guy how you arrived at this conclusion, which he may find baffling because somebody forced you into this conclusion. He’ll want to prove he’s different, which will lead you to believe that he’s too good to be true.

You always expect that the proverbial other shoe is going to drop. You expect that he’ll lose his cool and show his true colors any day now. You expect an abrupt end with no closure. But each day, he continues proving to you that he’s still the same person that he was when you first met him. He gives you no reasons to doubt him, but he’s not the one you don’t trust. You don’t trust everybody in the past.

What You Deserve

Somebody in your past forced you to believe that you don’t deserve good things. So now you’ve found someone who’s genuinely good, so you push him away. You fear good things because you don’t want to risk losing them. You want to protect yourself from getting hurt again, so you sabotage things and try and ruin the relationship. But you’ll come to realize that this guy is different. When you run, he’ll follow you. When you try to push him away, he’ll pull you close and want to stay with you.

You keep expecting fights. But things keep getting explained and talked out instead. You feel comforting waves afterward, and you realize that people don’t leave healthy relationships the moment something starts to go wrong.

You’ll apologize, again and again, leading him to wonder why. He’ll notice the pain in your eyes from the past relationship that caused you to question everything about yourself. He’ll sense the pain in your heart as you try so hard to love after only knowing heartbreak. He’ll constantly strive to reassure you that everything’s okay.

When a genuinely good guy falls in love with a broken woman who’s known only toxic relationships, he helps her understand that she didn’t deserve the toxicity. He rises above the horrible expectations she set and strives to be the exception to her standards.

You’ll feel convinced that he’d be better off with somebody else. But just as he made your life better, it works both ways. Yes, you fear falling in love again. You fear letting anybody get close. But your sensitivity, compassion, strength, understanding, and lack of harsh judgment make you so attractive.

In the past, you loved somebody who was intolerable and completely unlovable. You took a chance on him and tried to find the good in him. You didn’t give up on him. Now it’s your turn to have your love reciprocated. The new guy isn’t what you’re used to, but he’s just what you deserve.

Who You Really Are

When you finally get comfortable enough to accept the new relationship, you’ll love him with everything that’s in you. But don’t overcompensate and try too hard. You don’t have to. The past taught you that even your best isn’t quite good enough, so you were forced to try too hard. You needed to compete and justify yourself. But know this: your best was certainly good enough. Your ex definitely did not deserve you.

The moment will come when you’ll tell your new guy everything that happened. You will trust him and you will let him that close. When you tell him about your past and about the people who hurt you, he will not leave you. You’ve just given him the reason he should stay.

Somebody in your past taught you all there is to know about tough love, and that vulnerability equals weakness. You were forced to be strong for too long, and you’ve endured lots of things that you didn’t deserve. But it’s all made you more beautiful than you’ll ever know. And it all will make him appreciate you because you overcame it all.

With tears in your eyes, you’ll find gratitude for that toxic relationship because it didn’t destroy you. It made you the strong person that you’ve become.

You’ll finally realize that the toxic relationship that previously defined love for you was not even close to the real thing. You’ve finally learned that love isn’t supposed to be painful, jealous, or demeaning. Love shouldn’t break your heart just so it can build you back up. Genuine love doesn’t play deceitful games with your feelings or desire to cause you pain.

Genuine love is healing, which is exactly what this good guy has been able to do for you.

]]>https://womensblog.net/finding-true-love-after-the-end-of-a-toxic-relationship/feed/0Letting new love inhttps://womensblog.net/letting-new-love-in/
https://womensblog.net/letting-new-love-in/#respondThu, 07 Feb 2019 05:36:12 +0000https://womensblog.net/?p=58Sometimes before a major life event, such as attending college or joining the army, people will dissolve long term relationships. It is at this time, they may not be able to find a satisfactory relationship. It is also at this time that they realize that they may not be able to move on. This lack...

]]>Sometimes before a major life event, such as attending college or joining the army, people will dissolve long term relationships. It is at this time, they may not be able to find a satisfactory relationship. It is also at this time that they realize that they may not be able to move on. This lack of movement does not necessarily mean that you are still holding on to love, just that you are stagnating.

At this point, you should ask yourself what exactly it is that is holding you back. It is love? Is it disappointment? Is it sadness? Approach this question with all seriousness and sincerity. Even if you think you have let them go, are you holding on to something? A little something? Even if it’s just a memento.

If you are holding on to anything, your head may have moved on, but your heart hasn’t. Your heart may be hanging on for one last chance. Take some time. Look at what you are holding on to and ask yourself why you are attached to this.

It is at this point that you may decide that a ritual is needed to let go completely.

Letting go of a past love

It’s actually a quite easy ritual to go through. First, gather tangible objects- If it is a digital picture or email, print it out. Next, build a fire, and then give the objects over to the flames. Verbally let the person go. Watch the items change. If you think you are ready for new love, ask for it at this time. Thank the universe and then put out the fire.

The fire should be built where you can sit next to it comfortably. If you have any other items you use for rituals (an essential oil or herb or candle). This doesn’t have to be a fancy or drawn out ritual, but if you like, you can choose to make a retreat out of the event.

If you absolutely can not do this outside, you can always use a candle or a small pan. Just make sure you can watch and observe the change caused by the burn. If even that is beyond what you can gather, it is more important for you to move past this love, so you can use visualization to see the burning of the items . The fire is powerful because it changes things from one state to another.

It is your intention that is the most important factor of all. If your artifacts are things that you can’t burn, you can always give them away or sell them. If it is a family heirloom, and you don’t feel comfortable returning them to the giver, give them to another family member. The main part of this is the releasing of the physical object.

The next step

It is up to you choose the words of your releasing. Some people sing. Some pray. Some write new words. Choose your own way. Give thanks for the old memories as you say good-bye and move on to something else. An important thing to remember is that objects hold on to energy. It is these things and this energy that holds us down and holds us back. We have to release the old energy and love to make room for the new.

]]>https://womensblog.net/letting-new-love-in/feed/0Eight Ways that Travel Can Strengthen A Relationshiphttps://womensblog.net/eight-ways-that-travel-can-strengthen-a-relationship/
https://womensblog.net/eight-ways-that-travel-can-strengthen-a-relationship/#respondFri, 04 Jan 2019 19:52:48 +0000https://womensblog.net/?p=46Maintaining a marriage or a romantic relationship is not an easy task. We get so busy in our daily lives that there’s not much time left. We work to earn money and to provide ourselves with better lives. Completing required daily tasks and facing the stresses of urban life can be boring and dull. It...

]]>Maintaining a marriage or a romantic relationship is not an easy task. We get so busy in our daily lives that there’s not much time left. We work to earn money and to provide ourselves with better lives. Completing required daily tasks and facing the stresses of urban life can be boring and dull. It can extinguish the spark in any marriage or relationship.

City life is so hectic it leaves little time for quality time together and communication with with each other. This lifestyle takes a heavy toll on relationships. But each penny you earn and every dream you chase will be in vain if you’re unhappy.

My husband and I decided to address this by traveling more. This gave us added time and increased the understanding we have for each other, which strengthened our relationship. Now we make it a priority to go on frequent trips together. I personally guarantee from our experiences that travel is definitely therapeutic. It brought us closer together and strengthened our bonds.

Here are eight amazing ways that traveling together can strengthen relationships.

It develops mutual trust. Trust is key in any relationship. The more you travel with your partner, the more mutual trust you will develop. Travel will place you in situations in which you will need to put your complete trust in each other. There will be decision-making situations in which you will have to keep faith and rely on each other. Traveling will help teach you how to fully trust each other.

It allows you to spend more time together. When you’re at home, you don’t get to spend much time with each other due to work, a busy schedule, or too much screen time. But when you travel, all the time will be yours. You’ll be able to dedicate all of your time to each other. You can choose to spend your time together exploring beautiful places, eating out, and relaxing.

And you can take the time to enjoy doing small activities together. It’s not important to have constant grand celebrations to strengthen your relationship. There are wonderful little things a couple can do while traveling. Take an early morning walk together on a beach or through a park. Go out for coffee or tea. Have fun taking selfies in exotic locations. Cherish the small moments.

It increases romance and intimacy. Traveling together to explore new places helps you refresh your mind and set your work life aside. This brings you closer together, which will improve your intimacy with each other.

Couples who often travel together are happier than the ones who lead regular hectic city lives. Intimacy and romance are essential factors in happy relationships.

It improves communication. As you spend more quality time together, communication increases. You can take the time to discuss life plans, goals, and so on. Many people in relationships don’t understand each other’s needs simply because don’t communicate them well. In any relationship, communication is about making verbal and emotional connections.

Travel teaches patience. Not every person possesses the positive trait of “patience.” When you travel with your partner, each of you will have different opinions, and different likes and dislikes. Having patience with your partner will help strengthen your love for each other, while impatience can ruin the moment.

It helps you discover and respect your partner’s limitations. You and your partner will discover each other’s strengths and weakness while traveling together. So try to complement each other and treat each other with respect.

So if your partner is not comfortable doing something because they’re scared, tell them that’s okay. There are lots of other activities you could do. Encourage your partner, support them, and make them feel safe. Say things like, “Don’t be scared,” “I’m right here with you,” “It’s okay if you’re not comfortable,” or We can find something else to enjoy.”

It teaches you how to mentally and emotionally support each other. Traveling involves stepping outside your comfort zones. Often, you can’t be sure of a situation. When you’re traveling together, you need to be there for each other in both good times and bad.

If your partner becomes ill, don’t leave them behind in the hotel room and go out exploring by yourself. Instead, choose to stay there at your partner’s side.

It gives you time to share stories and secrets with each other. Everyone has funny stories and “dirty little secrets.” Share your amusing stories from your experiences in your high school or college days while you relax at the beach or in your hotel room. Talk about the crazy things you did with your friends on a previous trip. This is a great way to get to know each other better.

You can also share and do your own crazy, fun things when you travel, because you will have lots of time as well as ultimate freedom from your hectic daily lives.

Relationships require commitment, respect, care, and love. That’s a long list! But traveling together will allow you to take the time you need to build the relationship. It will also give you a lifetime’s worth of moments to remembers. Travel teaches couples many things that are helpful to maintain the relationship for the long run.

]]>https://womensblog.net/eight-ways-that-travel-can-strengthen-a-relationship/feed/0Smartphones Can Harm Marriageshttps://womensblog.net/smartphones-can-harm-marriages/
https://womensblog.net/smartphones-can-harm-marriages/#respondFri, 04 Jan 2019 19:49:26 +0000https://womensblog.net/?p=42Most people have intimate relationships with their smartphones. They carry their phones everywhere. They panic when they forget them. They may as well be glued to their devices. Most people justify this by explaining that smartphones have made their lives easier. But is that really true? I don’t think it is. Our phones have become...

]]>Most people have intimate relationships with their smartphones. They carry their phones everywhere. They panic when they forget them. They may as well be glued to their devices. Most people justify this by explaining that smartphones have made their lives easier.

But is that really true?

I don’t think it is. Our phones have become an integral part of our lives. We place more importance on our smartphones than we place on our precious marriages. A small, inanimate gadget like a smartphone can create chaos and ruin special moments. They really are that powerful.

It’s a common occurance. It’s probably happened to you. It’s happened to me, too. You went on a date with your spouse. You chose a nice restaurant. You sat at a romantic table for two, ordered your meal, and began to chat. All was well, but then your spouse’s phone rang.

“Sorry, hon, I gotta take this call. It’s work. Gimme five minutes.”

Like every other time, you nodded and waited for the call to end. In the meantime, you pulled out your own phone and started scrolling social media.

What happened to the romantic and sweet conversation you had planned? Is this a happy and healthy moment you’d like to remember? Did easy access to communication add romance to your date?

When a couple constantly finds their more interesting than actually spending time together, they’re pulling away from each other and creating a gap in their communication.

Healthy communication is key to a healthy marriage. The more the partners communicate with each other, the stronger their bond will be. And though smartphones can serve to connect us to other people, they can also disconnect husbands and wives from each other.

You may think that the occasional use of smartphones is no big deal. Honestly, it’s not. But most of us use them far more frequently than “occasionally.” Being too attached to your phone can easily have negative effects on your marriage, including:

Setting up a constant conflict between the marriage and the device.

Widening communication gaps.

Reducing intimacy and satisfaction in couples.

Forcing a loss of responsiveness to each other.

Acting as a distraction, which is especially dangerous when driving.

Increasing the insecurities within the marriage.

These negatives affect the fundamentals of your marriage and, if not controlled, could completely destroy it.

Care and love are necessary in healthy marriages. To feel more connected to each other, set your phone aside and focus instead on spending quality time together. This will nurture your marriage and bring about a positive attitude that will strengthen it for the long term.

It’s easy to understand that smartphones can have negative effects on a marriage. What’s not so easy to understand is how to stop the phone from interfereing in the marriage. Start with small steps, like these:

If your job requires interaction by phone, help your spouse to understand your professional responsibilities.

Whenever and wherever you have time to spend together, establish phone-free zones, especially on weekends.

Turn off the notifications on your phones so you don’t receive constant interruptions that spoil your time together.

Rein in social media use. Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter now occupy a significant position in people’s lives. Many people can’t even go one day without posting on or scrolling through the feeds. Social media isn’t necessarily harmful, but you should keep tabs on how often you use it. Try to limit the time you spend using it. And definitely don’t use it when you’re out on a date your spouse.

Our psychological dependency on our smartphones is what needs to change. Remember that as you use your phone. Overusing it can and will cause problems in your marriage.

]]>https://womensblog.net/smartphones-can-harm-marriages/feed/0Personal Time and Healthy Relationshipshttps://womensblog.net/personal-time-and-healthy-relationships/
https://womensblog.net/personal-time-and-healthy-relationships/#respondFri, 04 Jan 2019 19:45:46 +0000https://womensblog.net/?p=38Being in love is beautiful. Love is the purest emotion in the world. But love on its own can not strengthen a relationship. Relationships need many other things to be strong. Relationships need care at each stage. When you’re in love, you and your partner give each other your full attention and work together to...

]]>Being in love is beautiful. Love is the purest emotion in the world. But love on its own can not strengthen a relationship. Relationships need many other things to be strong.

Relationships need care at each stage. When you’re in love, you and your partner give each other your full attention and work together to build a healthy relationship. You do things together to assure each other that you’ll always be there for each other.

But what if you’re in love, and your partner asks you for some time apart from you? How should you react?

Asking for time apart is not a sign that your partner isn’t in love with you anymore. It’s okay to spend time apart doing things that you like to do. This is also known as “me time.” You can spend “me time” reading, watching or playing sports meditating or doing yoga, going out with family or friends, or going to a salon for some pampering. You can do whatever pleases you.

It’s essential to give yourself attention. It makes you feel happy about yourself, which leads to a better relationship. Maintaining a healthy relationship requires you to be independently happy first. Only then can you make the effort to make your partner happy.

Having a life apart from your relationship won’t hurt your relationship. On the contrary, it will help you focus on each other and stay committed. Nobody likes being glued together all the time. Sure, it feels great at first, but after a few weeks or months, one or both of you will probably feel smothered. So, why wait for that to happen? Be proactive.

But spending time apart doesn’t mean that you should ignore each other. Taking a break is a way to recharge your energy, which will help you pour your heart and your soul into your relationship.

So, if you’re feeling like you need some time to yourself, it’s best communicate those feelings to your partner. If your partner misinterprets your intent, you need to make them understand your need for it and why it’s important to you.

Even when you’re truly in love with one another and want to devote all of your attention and time to your partner, you need to make sure you don’t lose your own identity. You should always have a sense of personal freedom and independence. Use your personal time doing positive activities that will serve to help you build a healthy mindset. Participating in a dance or fitness class is a productive way to spend your “me time.”

My husband and have built “me time” into our marriage. This helps us to boost our relationship’s growth and our commitment to each other. I love to read, so I spend personal time doing that. My husband likes playing video games and doing physical training. Sometimes he’ll take an early morning walk alone to help keep his mind fresh.

In summary, taking personal time will help you keep your relationship healthy and strong.

It helps you maintain individuality.

It will increase your happiness. You’ll only be able to help your partner be happy if you’re happy first.

It will prevent you from feeling smothered by your relationship. Personal time gives you freedom and can only have positive effects on your relationship.

It will prevent you from feeling bored with each other.

It will encourage love to continue to grow between you.

People often hold the misconception that spending time apart from your partner means that your relationship isn’t healthy. Time apart only strengthens your relationship and increases your love for each other.

One final note: Be sure you’re not distancing yourselves from each other. If you think thereare underlying issues, keep your lines of communication open. Don’t give each other too much space.

]]>https://womensblog.net/personal-time-and-healthy-relationships/feed/0What’s More Important To You: Your Ego or Your Relationship?https://womensblog.net/whats-more-important-to-you-your-ego-or-your-relationship/
https://womensblog.net/whats-more-important-to-you-your-ego-or-your-relationship/#respondFri, 04 Jan 2019 19:41:35 +0000https://womensblog.net/?p=34There’s a small, three-letter word for something that can be so evil and powerful that if you don’t deal with it appropriately, it can create serious issues in a relationship. It can even destroy a relationship. That word is “ego.” Everyone has an ego. And everyone has experienced several occasions in their life when they...

]]>There’s a small, three-letter word for something that can be so evil and powerful that if you don’t deal with it appropriately, it can create serious issues in a relationship. It can even destroy a relationship.

That word is “ego.”

Everyone has an ego. And everyone has experienced several occasions in their life when they let their ego control them. Our ego is a sensitive part of our psyche. It’s also a negative quality.

Is Ego Killing Your Relationship?

In any relationship, things must be in balance. There are multiple components in relationships that keep them healthy. But ego is the type of thing that can ruin a relationship. These things are true even of romantic relationships.

Is ego more valuable to you than your romantic relationship? If the partners of a couple truly love each other, there should be no space to let negative feelings erupt.

The ego is a component of our beings that needs to be loved and accepted. In all the different contexts we face, the ego struggles to cope with the realities of life. It can be said that ego is the evil thing that loves to control us.

If you let your ego dominate you, it will erect an increasingly insurmountable barrier between you and your partner. Even if your love is genuine, your ego will prevent you from approaching your spouse, and it will make you feel powerless. It will force you to do things that you don’t like doing. You’ll end up hurting yourself, your partner, and your relationship.

Here’s one example in which our ego frequently shows its evil side. It’s common in modern relationships and marriages for the woman to have higher earnings than the man. Although the husband loves his wife dearly, his ego kicks in and makes him feel dominated by his wife. The wife may contribute more towards the household expenses, and may be doing everything that she can to make the marriage a happy one, but his ego can’t get past the fact that his wife earns more than he does. With passing days, weeks, and months, his ego drills evil thoughts into his mind and turned the good marriage into a bitter one.

It really doesn’t matter which partner earns more. The only things that matter are love and the mutual respect that a man and a woman should share in a healthy relationship or marriage.

If you think your ego is getting in your way, then immediately shake it off. Be positive towards each other. Honestly share your feelings with your partner. Stop thinking things like, “What will she think if I say this?”

It’s common for partners in a relationship to have an argument and end up hurting each other’s feelings and bruising each other’s ego. You may not talk for a few days, but the silence between the two of you is even more hurtful. You can’t let ego let ruin your happiness.

There are some specific things you can work on to set your ego aside and to limit its power.

Prioritize your relationship.

Incidents will certainly occur in which you don’t agree with each other. But always hold your relationship as your highest priority. Try to maintain mutual respect, and don’t let ego control you.

Accept each other.

In romantic relationships and marriages, each partner should be equal and should have equal importance. An ideal way to handle ego and to prevent it from coming between partners in a relationship is for the partners to accept each other just as they are. Each person has both positive and negative qualities. In your relationship or marriage, respect each other and embrace your differences at every opportunity. And always remember that you and your partner are equals.

Understand that it’s okay to be wrong.

Get over the feeling that you have to be better than or superior to your spouse. It’s okay to make mistakes sometimes and to be wrong. Don’t allow your ego to take control of your mind with thoughts like, “I’m never wrong” or “I didn’t do anything wrong.” Have enough courage to accept your faults. You will make mistakes. There’s no shame in that, because you will learn from them.

Keep the lines of communication open.

Communication is crucial to happy relationships. Communicate as openly and honestly as possible. Strive to accept each other’s differences of opinion. Listen to what your partner is conveying to you, and have open discussions about things so you can work together to find a solution.

Every couple deserves to be happy. If you think it’s impossible to forgive and forget after your ego has been hurt, you’re terribly wrong. You have to learn how to prioritize your relationship or marriage over your ego.

Stay positive about even the minor things in your daily life. Let go of your ego so you can see where your relationship or marriage truly stands. This will leave you in good standing with your partner, and ensure your relationship is a healthy one.

]]>https://womensblog.net/whats-more-important-to-you-your-ego-or-your-relationship/feed/0Romance and Cooking Togetherhttps://womensblog.net/romance-and-cooking-together/
https://womensblog.net/romance-and-cooking-together/#respondFri, 04 Jan 2019 19:37:07 +0000https://womensblog.net/?p=30When it comes to sparking the romance in your relationship, there are lots of things that you could do. Sharing a candlelight dinner together—just the two of you sipping wine and sharing a special meal—appeals to many couples. But instead of ordering takeout or making a reservation at a restaurant, take things up a notch...

]]>When it comes to sparking the romance in your relationship, there are lots of things that you could do. Sharing a candlelight dinner together—just the two of you sipping wine and sharing a special meal—appeals to many couples. But instead of ordering takeout or making a reservation at a restaurant, take things up a notch and try cooking a romantic dinner together as a couple.

Couples who regularly cook together have happier and healthier relationships. Cooking together reduces stress, strengthens emotional ties, improves self-esteem, increases sexual intimacy, and helps keep lines of communication open. But there are some things you should take into consideration before you head off for the kitchen.

These five easy tips will help you get the most out of your time in the kitchen together:

Work together to choose a recipe. If you’re going to cook together, you’ll need to plan and discuss the meal first. You need to decide what to cook. You may want to try a new recipe, which is fine. But be sure to pick something that both of you will like and can cook. You could consider something entirely new, or you may choose just to put a new twist on a recipe that’s already a favorite.

Sip glasses of wine while you look online together for your recipe. And choose a recipe that pairs well with wine. Cheesy recipes, light fish dishes, foods with earthy flavors, and sweet-and-spicy barbecue foods are all good candidates. Either way, it’s another way to spend time together.

Your partner might enjoy cooking, or he may not be very good at it. Cooking may come naturally to him, or perhaps it doesn’t. Whatever the case may be, choose an easy recipe that will require minimal prep time and has a shorter list of ingredients. You certainly don’t want to spend your whole evening together cooking. You need to save some energy for some romance after the meal!

Avoid cooking a greasy or heavy meal for this special occasion. Though they taste good, greasy or heavy meals can make you sleepy, which isn’t very sexy. Protein-rich meats and dairy-based dinners also won’t help your sex drive. Instead, stick to a lighter meal.

Shop together for the ingredients. Once you’ve chosen a recipe, the next step is to purchase the ingredients. The latest trend is to purchase groceries online and have them delivered to your doorstep. But in this case, it would be better to go to a supermarket together and pick out the things you need. This gives you more time together.

Shopping together also gives you the opportunity to talk about your cooking plans and the rest of your time together. It gives you time to discuss how much money you can spend on this special meal, especially if some ingredients cost more than you thought they might. Shopping together lets you track how much money you’re spending. And don’t forget to pick up a bouquet of flowers and some pleasantly scented candles.

Plan out your roles ahead of time. Cooking together as a couple doesn’t mean you must equally share all of the tasks. It’s not likely that each of you has the same skill set when it comes to cooking. You may both love cooking and food, but it’s likely that you each have your own strengths and weaknesses. For example, one of you may be more comfortable cooking with meat, while the other works wonders with side dishes. One may be familiar with Asian sauces and spices, while the other is a master of desserts.

So discuss your strengths and weaknesses, and divide your responsibilities accordingly. This will help you reduce any stress that may develop in the kitchen.

Include finger foods. Don’t feel obligated to plan out a full three-course meal. But be sure to include some appetizers or snacks in addition to the main entree. Finger foods are easy to prepare, and they help your romantic evening to last longer. You could share finger-food snacks before your main course while talking and sipping your favorite wine. You could even take a break after nibbling snacks—maybe share a few romantic dances—and then get back to the main entree.

Set the proper mood. Cooking together is more than boiling eggs and chopping vegetables together. It’s also about setting a romantic mood. The kitchen is probably not the most romantic room in your house, but you can incorporate music, candles and flowers into your cooking time.

You don’t need to spend a lot to do this. And by all means, turn off your screens and remove other potential distractions. Focus your full attention on each other, on cooking together, and on what comes afterwards.

Also, set a pretty table for two including a beautiful tablecloth, candles, and flowers. Plan this romantic set-up in advance, so you can focus your time together on cooking. Cooking together is a great way to add some spice to your romantic life. It’s an easy way to feel connected both physically and emotionally.

These five easy tips should help make your cooking time as a couple as romantic as possible. Have fun, and have a wonderful night together!